We recently had some friends over for dessert and I served this classic cheesecake which I have been making for many years, this time with a raspberry topping which I found in Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa’s Family Cookbook.
Raspberry Topping
1 cup red jelly (not jam) such as currant, raspberry, or strawberry
3 half-pints fresh raspberries
Melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat. In a bowl, toss the raspberries and the warm jelly gently until well mixed.
Arrange the berries on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
I chose to use it on this winning cheesecake recipe that I have posted again for you below because it is just that good.
I have made this classic cheesecake with a blueberry sauce (which is also great on pancakes or waffles)…
and I have also served it with a salted caramel sauce drizzled over it…
However you decide to adorn this cheesecake, I’m certain you will agree that it is delicious…
CLASSIC CHEESECAKE
The recipe for this classic cheesecake comes from the October 2001 issue of Bon Appetit magazine. It was featured on the dessert menu of Alain Ducasse’s Spoon Food & Wine restaurant located off the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Although the dessert menu which also featured Ben & Jerry’s ice cream seems a bit unusual for France, I think it just proves delicious is delicious wherever it is!
Classic Cheesecake
Start preparing this cheesecake the day before you plan to serve it.
16 servings
Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup(1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced
Filling
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 and ¾ cups sugar
5 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/3 cup whipping cream
¼ cup all purpose flour
FOR CRUST: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter spring form pan with 2 and ¾ -inch-high sides in 3 layers of foil. Blend all purpose flour, sugar and salt in processor.
Add butter and cut in, using on/off turns, until mixture begins to clump
together. Press crust onto bottom (not sides) of prepared spring-form
pan. Bake until crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Reduce oven
temperature to 350 degrees.
FOR FILLING: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in
large bowl until smooth. Beat in 5 whole eggs, then 2 yolks. Add
whipping cream; beat until smooth. Beat in flour. Pour filling into
baked crust. Place cheesecake in large roasting pan. Add enough hot
water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of spring form pan. Bake
until cheesecake is set around the edges and center moves slightly when
gently shaken, about 1 hour and 35 minutes. Remove from water. Cool
slightly. Chill overnight or up to 2 days. Serve cold.
Note: I have found that by baking the cake in a water bath you can
eliminate the possibility of the cake splitting which commonly happens
with cheesecake. It also allows for a more even baking. The cookie
type crust is fantastic with the creamy, but not too creamy filling.